History of Congress party to politicize by dividing society on basis of caste and religion: Harpal Singh Cheema

Ludhiana: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab staged a massive protest in Ludhiana against the Congress party for declaring some assembly seats in the holy land of Punjab as sacred and unconsecrated, thus inciting hatred towards the Dalit community and burnt effigies of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Lok Sabha member Ravneet Singh Bittu. Arrived at the protest, senior leader of AAP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Punjab Assembly, Harpal Singh Cheema and Deputy Leader of Opposition, Saravjit Kaur Manuke, MLA Prof. Baljinder Kaur and Jagtar Singh Hissowal said that it was the history of the Congress party to politicize the society in the name of religion and caste. The leaders said that the Aam Aadmi Party strongly condemned the Congress leaders for calling some assembly seats in Punjab as sacred and unholy, as for them the whole country including Punjab is sacred.

On this occasion, Saravjit Kaur Manuke and SC Wing state vice president Jeevan Singh Sangowal started fasting to death on the issue of scholarship for Dalit children. The AAP leaders said that the Gurus had risen above castes and religions and taught the lessons of 'Manas Ki Jaat Sabhe Ek Pehchanbo' and 'Awal Alla Noor Upaya Kudrat Ke Sab Bande'. “But the opinion of the Congress party leaders is completely contrary to the message given by the Gurus and the path shown,” they added. The leaders said that the Congress party which was becoming the plaintiff of the Sikh Panth today, had broken the hearts of Sikhs, by attacking Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple). In fact, like the Akali Dal Badal and the BJP, the Congress party had been pursuing a policy of vote-rigging through the politics of religion,” they said.

Harpal Singh Cheema said that Captain Amarinder Singh was now pretending to be benevolent of Dalits while during his tenure Captain had committed various atrocities on Dalits, embezzled student scholarships money and abolished the quota of youth jobs. He said that the Congress party leaders were showing inferior attitude towards Dalits and calling assembly seats as sacred and unconsecrated. “If Captain Amarinder Singh had been serious in the matter, he would have condemned the statement made by Ravneet Bittu and taken stern action against him,” said Cheema. He said that it may be recalled that AAP senior leader Manwinder Singh Giaspura has been on a hunger strike against the scam perpetrated by the Congress party on scholarships for Dalit students.